Discussion on the appeal of iOS vs Android

[anon(5719825)]

Also resale is important to some. Iphone will always hold value. My moto x ... Not so much.

I was disappointing when after a year, I tried to sell my old Nexus 4 and 7. I couldn't get an offer over $100 so I ended up just keeping both. Now I don't even think about selling any of my Android devices.

It was always nice being able to sell an iPhone for $100-$200 more then I paid for it.

 

[Jon_Doh]

IOS is a bicycle with training wheels. Android is that same bike without the training wheels.

 

[HAWK]

When I hear phone and status symbol in the same sentence I laugh a Lil bit

 

[Floridadomer]

While the simplicity of iPhone's are what appeals to many users, it is exactly that the keeps me away from them. During football, I can buy icon themes, change my phone to Blue and Gold. Now that football is over, I have changed it to a black and smoke glass icon theme. I can change launchers to make the phone have a different feel. I also have 4 pages of widgets that I use daily. I want an app drawer that I can organize into folders or tabs. No app drawer, no widgets, no customization….NO THANK YOU.

 

[HAWK]

While the simplicity of iPhone's are what appeals to many users, it is exactly that the keeps me away from them. During football, I can buy icon themes, change my phone to Blue and Gold. Now that football is over, I have changed it to a black and smoke glass icon theme. I can change launchers to make the phone have a different feel. I also have 4 pages of widgets that I use daily. I want an app drawer that I can organize into folders or tabs. No app drawer, no widgets, no customization….NO THANK YOU.

Agree with everything. But..... football ain't over lol. Go Broncos!

 

[Floridadomer]

LOL, That's true. I should have said college football. As a Colts fan, I am cheering for Payton and Denver!

 

[o2bnclemson]

Re: You can never impress or please others with your phone?

Very simple: iPhones are great if you just want a smart phone that's ready to go and easy. Even better if you're already an Apple hack and have all Apple gear. Android is better if you want to customize, root, change out home screens, lock screens, etc and if you're NOT an Apple hack and don't have all Apple gear.

Apple is VERY proprietary, so if you're ok with all Apple all the time and you're content w/the iPhone the way it is, then iPhone is for you. If, however, you're not a dedicated Apple person, you like to have options, and you want to be able to customize your phone, then Android is the way to go.

Ultimately, they both do the same things. They just do them differently. Samsung has scored big with the Galaxy series b/c now you have accessories that will work with any Galaxy like iPhone accessories work with any iPhone. Just depends upon you.

But please - don't buy a $400 phone based upon commercials and a logo on the back. You can customize your Android to look and function just like an iPhone if you want, but still retain all the independence that Android offers.

 

[JackInTheDust]

You know I have friends that always gang up on someone who comes over if they don't have an iphone. they kinda gang up on you and tell you to get with the crew. But they don't do it to tech savvy people, they do it to people that don't know anything about phones.
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Your friends sound like a bunch of fools. Are you sure you want to hang with these people? Really, who gives a damn what phone your friend is using?

 

[Aquila]

Want what you like, buy what you want, love what you bought. If it gets any more complicated than that, you're doing it wrong.

Example: Ry likes, Moto Features, Assassin Droid likes Nexus. When we're looking for a phone for Ry, it would be weird for him to want Nexus just because I say to like it when he likes Moto features. Therefore, he should want a Moto phone, buy that Moto phone and love the heck out of it despite the fact that I would have wanted, bought and loved the heck out of a Nexus if we were shopping for what I like instead.

Obviously this doesn't apply for people who like devices with physical home buttons or a lack of front facing speakers - those people simply just like the wrong things. They should start liking other things, want then buy then love those

 

[AllynKC]

Re: You can never impress or please others with your phone?

In one post:

Typically when I ask iphone users what made them choose iphone they just say that they love iphones and that's it. Always had, always will be an iphone user. ... Now for Samsung users, why do a lot despise iphones so much? Iphone users just don't even care, they just use it and that's it.

In another:

You know I have friends that always gang up on someone who comes over if they don't have an iphone. they kinda gang up on you and tell you to get with the crew.

Aren't these statement self-contradictory? In one, claiming iPhone users don't hate on users of other phones ... on the next statement, iPhone users gang-up on non-iPhone users.

As to which is better ... In the end, it's all about user preference. Both are perfectly capable of doing the same types of activities - it's just the way that's accomplished can differ between the two. The "rivalry" between fans of each is actually pretty silly and pointless. In the end, it's what the user is accustomed to using and which they prefer. My wife uses an iPhone, and I use an Android - and we're quite happy that way.

 

[ksc6000#AC]

This is exactly what I've been saying for years. IOS users have been very antagonistic due to the way apple and Steve jobs have conducted themselves. Just like you said it filtered down to the users. I don't think if it was for that there would be this big of a conflict for an item as silly as a phone.

I think it boils down to two different concepts..

First, it's the "WHY DON'T YOU LIKE WHAT I LIKE!?" syndrome.... this is something that we all see even without Apple or iPhones in the mix. Someone likes device A, another one doesn't like device A and thinks its junk. So the first person takes it as a personal insult that anyone would dare to criticize a phone that the Almighty would be pleased with.... and an argument ensues. The larger the divergence between the two devices, the higher the chances of a drag-out row. So what is a mild disagreement between someone with a S6 and a Note 5 turns into a monkey-crap-fight if that Note 5 is replaced with a iPhone 6S.

The second part is more nuanced. And I place the blame for this one on Apple's shoulders. Early on, the iPhone was clearly ahead of any Android phone. The hardware, operating system and apps all heavily favored Apple's stuff. And in their ads, keynotes, etc... they (Apple) basically looked upon any Android device with disdain, almost insulted that anyone would even think about choosing such an inferior product over an iPhone. That dismissive disgust quickly filtered down to iPhone users, with the complete blessing of Apple, and it really got under the skin of the Android fans at the time.... kind of simmered and stewed a bit.

And all the while, Android improved. The OS made huge gains in usability, performance and reliability and the hardware it ran on advanced with leaps and bounds. Once the playing field leveled, all that frustration from earlier kind of boiled over and Android zealots, now-armed with the knowledge that the iPhone was no longer the superior device/ecosystem it once was, unloaded on the hard core Apple fans, most of which still held on to the outdated notion that their beloved platform is superior and to say otherwise is silly... a belief that Apple keeps feeding to this day even though the once peerless iPhone is now the one playing catch-up behind the likes of the Nexus 6P, Note 5, etc...

So that leaves us with the digital Hatfield/McCoy blood fued that we have today.

 

[Lnin0]

One cannot purchase style and any attempt to do so will just make your lack of true style all the more pronouned. Dont confuse insecure bullies and sheep for people with style.

 

[TenshiNo]

Android users don't hate iPhone users. They hate iPhone users like your friends.

You say that iPhones users don't care, then talk about how you worry that your friends will ridicule you (or anyone else) who doesn't have an iPhone. That sounds like they care quite a lot. And that they're jerks.

Your question, basically, boils down to:
"My friends are sheep, and they really want me to be a sheep too, so I'm afraid to have my own thoughts and opinions for fear that my friends will be mean to me for not being a sheep. What should I do?"

Here's what you do: stop worrying about your friends. Or anyone else. Decide which device has the features that you like. If your phone is going to define who you are as a person, that's a whole different issue that you need to take a good, long, hard look at.

And anyone who is going to judge you based on what smart phone you decide to use is not your friend. Or a good person. They are immature, vapid, and shallow and you should distance yourself from them as quickly as possible before the damage to your psyche is irreversible.

Your choice of phone doesn't define you. You choice to be a blind follower of people like that, however....

Never be afraid of having your own independent thoughts and opinions.

 

[HAWK]

This debate has been done over and over and over again. Both phones are good. Just use what you like and move on

 

[Rob Phillips]

This debate has been done over and over and over again. Both phones are good. Just use what you like and move on

True story, yet the battle wages on. Like you said, it's all about personal preference. Both ecosystems have their benefits and drawbacks.

 

[Alex Wetzel]

Probably moving back to iOS

Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love android and all of the customization and freedom that comes with it. But there are specific things that frustrate me about android that really matter to me. First, iOS is much better for ensuring that you have the latest software for your phone. While I know that owning a nexus solves this problem, getting one on a carrier makes for updates that are still delayed (nexus 6 on Verizon.) Second, and while android has improved on this amazingly over that last 5 years, performance on an iPhone, as well as longevity of said performance, is generally better, and while nexus phones are extremely close in matching the iPhone and it's day to day performance, it's all about consistency for me, and that's something that even nexus phones struggle with (to a degree of course, Samsung phones are a prime example of poor performance over time) so what do you guys think? Am I making a bad/good decision? Share your thoughts!

 

[Aquila]

Re: Probably moving back to iOS

Want what you like, buy what you want, love what you bought. Good luck!

 

[Golfdriver97]

You have some good reasons to shift back to Apple. I honestly think that Google is going to announce some really cool things at I/O.

Food for thought, since you are a fan of both: have the Apple be on Verizon. And buy a Nexus and have it either on Project Fi, or a prepaid carrier of your choice. The prepaid will help keep the extra phone bill down, the iPhone on Verizon means you are paying over time for the more expensive device, so that means all that's up to you is how often you want to upgrade the Nexus. If you wait, soon the 5X and 6P will be going on sale for the new devices.

 

[Alex Wetzel]

I don't think I should have to pay $700 just so that I can have to latest version of Android

 

[Morty2264]

Re: You can never impress or please others with your phone?

OP, in my own opinion, "branding" yourself based on what kind of platform you jump to is not necessarily a good idea. You should be defining yourself based on facets that are not mobile-related. Sure, buy a phone that will help you get more stuff done - be that browsing the Internet; getting a bigger handle on social media; what have you - but associating your identity/"branding yourself"/associating with Apple, Samsung, or any other corporation is dangerous. Your phone is still separate from you, and your identity is more subjective and not just solely placed on objective trinkets like cellular devices. For example, I have an LG G3 - I jumped ship from BlackBerry. I still follow BB and hope they do well; however, I do not associate my identity with BlackBerry or Android or LG's company.

If your friends love a product, that's great; but try to choose something that would also suit your needs. Try doing some research on the different mobile platforms - including Apple - to see which one would best work for you as a device. I am absolutely not saying that Apple does not have merit - obviously it does: look at their stocks, their selling stats, etc. - but it's always good to do good consumer research before investing in a product. Apple is awesome but expensive - as are high-end Android phones, like Samsung's S7, for example - so be sure to buy something that is not only loved by your friends; but something that you can invest in financially and use comfortably for your contract length. Trust me, it will pay off, literally, to do your research; watch unboxing/review videos; read reviews online; etc. ... Buying a phone is a big investment, especially for young people; and if you want something with a big price tag like an iPhone (or, again, a high-end Samsung device), be sure you do your homework and know that it's something you yourself want.

Good luck!